Poinsettia plant named &#39;PER7_13&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘PER7_13’, characterized by its relatively compact, uniform, upright and mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely and upright to somewhat outwardly branching habit; very dark green-colored leaves; large inflorescences with golden yellow-colored flower bracts; and good post-production longevity.

Botanical designation: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PER7_13’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPoinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘PER7_13’.

The new Poinsettia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Encinitas, Calif. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new uniform Poinsettia plants having largeinflorescences with attractive flower bracts and excellentpost-production longevity.

The new Poinsettia plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutationof Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘PER1409’, disclosed in U.S. Plantpatent application Ser. No. 14/545,486. The new Poinsettia plant wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant fromwithin a population of plants of ‘PER1409’ in a controlled greenhouseenvironment in Encinitas, Calif. on Sep 6, 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia plant by terminal vegetativecuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Encinitas, Calif.since January, 2013 has shown that the unique features of this newPoinsettia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Poinsettia have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however,any variance in genotype. The following traits have been repeatedlyobserved and are determined to be the unique characteristics of‘PER7_13’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘PER7_13’ asa new and distinct Poinsettia plant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact, uniform, upright and mounded plant habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely and upright to somewhat outwardly branching habit.    -   4. Very dark green-colored leaves.    -   5. Under natural season conditions, plants flower on or about        November 17 in Southern California.    -   6. Large inflorescences with golden yellow-colored flower        bracts.    -   7. Good post-production longevity.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants ofthe new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of the mutation parent,‘PER1409’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia are more compact than plants of        ‘PER1409’.    -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia and ‘PER1409’ differ in fully        expanded flower bract color as plants of ‘PER1409’ have light        yellow and peach-colored flower bracts with dark pink-colored        flecks and spots.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the Euphorbiapulcherrima Willd. ‘PER10606’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Patent No.20,351. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif.,plants of the new Poinsettia differed primarily from plants of‘PER10606’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were more compact than plants of        ‘PER10606’.    -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia were more upright than plants of        ‘PER10606’.    -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia and ‘PER10606’ differed in        flower bract color as plants of ‘PER10606’ had creamy        white-colored flower bracts.    -   4. Plants of the new Poinsettia flowered about ten days later        than plants of ‘PER10606’ when grown under natural season        conditions in Southern California.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the Euphorbiapulcherrima Willd. ‘PER975’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,882. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of thenew Poinsettia differed primarily from plants of ‘PER975’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were more compact than and not        as vigorous as plants of ‘PER975’.    -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia had darker green-colored leaves        than plants of ‘PER975’.    -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia and ‘PER975’ differed in flower        bract color as plants of ‘PER975’ had light pink to pale        yellow-colored flower bracts.    -   4. Plants of the new Poinsettia flowered about four days earlier        than plants of ‘PER975’ when grown under natural season        conditions in Southern California.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Poinsettia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Poinsettia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side to top perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘PER7_13’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflowering plant of ‘PER7_13’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and in the followingdetailed description were grown during the late autumn/early winter inquart (plants for the photographs) and 16.5-cm containers (plants usedfor the description) in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Encinitas,Calif. under natural season conditions and cultural practices typical ofcommercial Poinsettia production. During the production of the plants,day temperatures averaged 26° C., night temperatures averaged 18° C. andlight levels averaged 5,000 foot-candles. Measurements and numericalvalues represent averages for typical flowering plants. Plants werepinched one time and were 19 and 25 weeks old for the quart and 16.5-cmcontainers, respectively, when the photographs and the description weretaken. In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘PER7_13’.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Euphorbia    pulcherrima Willd. ‘PER1409’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent    application Ser. No. 14/545,486.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About seven to ten days at night            temperatures about 20° C. and day temperatures about 27° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four weeks at            night temperatures about 20° C. and day temperatures about            27° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; typically white in color, actual            color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition,            water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate            temperature and physiological age of roots.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Relatively compact, uniform, upright            and mounded plant habit; inverted triangle; large            inflorescences with numerous flower bracts positioned above            the foliar plane; moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 33 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 45 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity: Freely branching            habit, about six to seven lateral branches develop after            pinching; upright branching habit. Length: About 28 cm.            Diameter: Thick, about 7.5 mm. Internode length: About 1.5            cm to 2 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 30° to 45° from            vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Luster: Moderately            glossy. Color: More green than 146A.        -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:            About 10.25 cm. Width: About 7.75 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:            Acuminate. Base: Mostly obtuse with truncate or cuneate            tendencies. Margin: Mostly entire. Aspect: Outwardly to            slightly upright; keeled. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous; prominent venation on lower surface.            Luster, upper surface: Slightly glossy. Luster, lower            surface: Matte. Venation pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Color:            Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Much            darker green than 147A; venation, close to 146A to 146B.            Developing and fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 147A; venation, close to 146B. Leaf petioles: Length:            About 3.8 cm to 4.7 cm. Diameter: Thick, about 4 mm to 5 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Luster,            upper and lower surfaces: Moderately glossy. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 146B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Terminal inflorescences are            compound corymbs of cyathia with numerous colored flower            bracts subtending the cyathia; inflorescences uniformly            positioned above the foliar plane.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flowering response.—Under natural season conditions, plants            typically flower on or about November 17 in Southern            California; under artificial long nyctoperiod/short            photoperiod conditions, plants flower about seven to eight            weeks later.        -   Post-production longevity.—Good post-production longevity;            plants of the new Poinsettia maintain good substance and            flower bract color for about four to six weeks under            interior conditions; flower bracts persistent and cyathia            not persistent.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 29 cm.        -   Inflorescence height (depth).—About 5 cm.        -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: Numerous,            about 33. Length, largest bracts: About 11.25 cm. Width,            largest bracts: About 9.75 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:            Acuminate. Base: Mostly obtuse with truncate tendencies.            Margin: Entire. Aspect: Mostly horizontal to slightly            upright; keeled. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous; satiny. Luster, upper and lower surfaces: Matte.            Venation pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Color: Developing or            transitional bracts, upper surface: Ground color, darker            green than 147A; irregular and random sectors, slightly more            yellow than 163D. Developing or transitional bracts, lower            surface: Ground color, close to 146A; irregular and random            sectors, close to 153C and 16B. Fully expanded bracts, upper            surface: Close to between N163D and 23A; occasionally tinged            with close to 25A; color does not fade with development.            Fully expanded bracts, lower surface: Close to between 20A            and 21B; color does not fade with development. Bract            petioles: Length: About 4.1 cm. Diameter: Thick about 4 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Luster,            upper and lower surfaces: Moderately glossy. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to N144A.        -   Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About 12 to 15. Length: About            9 mm. Width: About 4.5 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color, inner and outer surfaces: Close to 144A to            144B.        -   Nectaries.—Quantity per cyathium: One. Length: About 6 mm.            Width: About 5 mm. Shape: Roughly elliptical. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color, inner and outer surfaces: Close to            17A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright to slightly            outwardly. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A            to 144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per cyathium: About            12 to 15. Filament length: About 5 mm. Filament color: Close            to 145C. Anther shape: Round to oval; bi-lobed. Anther            length: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 15A. Amount            of pollen: Scarce to none. Pollen color: Close to 15A.            Pistils: Quantity per cyathium: One; tri-parted. Pistil            length: About 8 mm. Stigma shape: Lanceolate, six-parted,            recurved. Stigma color: Close to 186A. Style length: About            6.5 mm. Style color: Close to 144B to 144C. Ovary color:            Close to 144B.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production have not been            observed on plants of the new Poinsettia.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have not    been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Poinsettia plants.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have been    observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 16° C. to about    29° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Poinsettia plant named ‘PER7_13’ asillustrated and described.